Kombucha healthy probiotic drink
/In my last article I wrote about all the benefits of bone broth, so I thought it would be fitting to continue writing about some other traditional foods that are popping up.
So what is kombucha? The simplest explanation is that it’s a sweet fermented tea, and it’s a great healthy alternative to soft drinks! So let’s take a closer look…
Benefits
Kombucha packs a punch when it comes to benefits though, which is why it’s so good for a healthy gut and digestive system. It includes:
Probiotics and beneficial bacteria
Antioxidants
Digestive enzymes
Vitamin B12
It has been fermented and brewed for over two millennia and has been said to have qualities that detoxify the body and energise the mind. It’s a living beverage that is fermented using a blend of organic white, green or black tea, raw sugar, and a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast (commonly called the SCOBY or Mother).
The SCOBY is the magical ingredient in Kombucha, and if you haven’t seen one don’t let the appearance of it deter you from trying this ;-) It is a thick pancake of gelatinous bacteria and yeast that feasts on the tea and sugar converting it into health giving organic acids and creating an effervescent fermented beverage with a slight tang. And don’t worry about the sugar that was added, most of it is converted to healthy digestive enzymes during fermentation.
How to flavour it (and get your kids to drink it!)
When you make Kombucha, you begin with the first ferment (with the tea, sugar and SCOBY) which typically takes around 10-14 days, and then you can bottle it and add flavour ready for it’s second ferment which takes around 1-2 days. It is this second ferment that also gives Kombucha it’s fizz - which definitely helps when you’re trying to get kids to drinks it…let’s face it though, who doesn’t like BUBBLES?!
You can let your creativity run wild for this second ferment too, and come up with whatever flavour combination you like! The only thing to note is that the sweeter the fruit you add, the more fizz the Kombucha will have - so watch out when you open the bottle!
Here are some of my favourite flavour combinations:
Ginger, turmeric and lemon
Apple and kiwi
Berries
Orange, lime, tangerine and/or grapefruit
You can use fresh fruit or spice chunks - just make sure you chop it small enough so you can get them back out of your bottle when finished. Or you can also juice them and add that, or use a good quality Young Living Essential Oil, and a little goes a long way - I only add 1 drop to each 500ml bottle and it makes for a powerful and full flavour!
This second ferment allows you to really infuse the Kombucha with any flavour you want, so you can tailor it to what you or your child’s favourite flavours are, and also allows you to switch it up with each bottle and keep it interesting. And all while this is providing you and your kids with healthy gut healing probiotics.
So, I hope I have tempted you to try and make some Kombucha! If so - then check out my kombucha recipe!